1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to receiving merchandise from third party, e-commerce suppliers at a retail location, then distributing the received merchandise to other retail locations.
2. Introduction
Product distribution systems often follow a model where the manufacturer of a product delivers a finished product to a distribution center for a retailer, then the retailer transports the product from the distribution center to nearby retail locations. For example, a manufacturer of toothpaste who has contracted with a retailer to sell the toothpaste in retail stores will deliver a truckload of toothpaste product to a distribution center associated with the retailer. The retailer will then send trucks from the distribution center to retail locations for sale to customers, each truck having some toothpaste as well as other products. In some cases, suppliers will have their own retail locations, termed “outlet stores.” However, for e-commerce suppliers, sale of products within a brick and mortar retail location is generally not possible unless the e-commerce suppliers contract with retailers and deliver the merchandise to distribution centers.